The Stinger recipe
the digestif made with two ingredients
Place the martini glass in the freezer for ten minutes, because the Stinger is served without ice.
Fill a mixing glass with ice and pour in the cognac and crème de menthe.
Stir with a bar spoon for 30 seconds, until the outside of the mixing glass becomes frosted.
Strain the cocktail into the chilled martini glass and, if desired, place a mint leaf on top.
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The story
The Stinger emerged in the United States around 1890. It may have descended from The Judge, a brandy cocktail with crème de menthe and sugar syrup that appeared in William Schmidt's The Flowing Bowl in 1892. In New York, it quickly became a drink of the upper classes, served after dinner as a digestif. According to a persistent story, millionaire Reginald Vanderbilt liked making it for his guests, but it has not been proven that he invented the drink. Later, the Stinger appeared in films such as High Society and The Apartment, and in Ian Fleming's 1956 novel Diamonds Are Forever, James Bond drinks one. The IBA classifies the Stinger among the Unforgettables.
The right glass
The IBA calls for a chilled martini glass, and that makes sense. The Stinger goes into the glass without ice, so the long stem keeps your warm hand away from the drink. The wide bowl releases the aroma of cognac and mint. With 7 cl of ingredients and some meltwater, you end up with approximately 9 cl, so a compact 19 to 21 cl glass is more than large enough; a larger one looks empty. You can find them in our martini glasses collection.
RCR Timeless Martini Glass 21 cl (6 pieces)
Onis Spksy Martini Glass 19 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 70,90.
The right tools
For a Stinger, in addition to the glass, you need a mixing glass, a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, and a Julep strainer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools together € 111,75.
What do you make a Stinger with?
For a Stinger, you need cognac and liqueur. Well-known bottles include Hennessy and Rémy Martin. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The IBA stirs the Stinger. Many older recipes shake it, resulting in a colder and slightly cloudier drink; both methods are common. Served over crushed ice in a tumbler, it becomes lighter and fresher, making it a good choice for warm evenings. Made with vodka instead of cognac, it is called a White Spider. If you want a creamy digestif with the same mint flavor, make a Grasshopper. Looking for another two-ingredient drink? See the Godfather or the French Connection.
Serving tip
Serve the Stinger after dinner instead of coffee with liqueur. A piece of dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa pairs well with it; milk chocolate makes the whole thing too sweet. Keep the crème de menthe in the refrigerator so the drink chills faster.
Good to know
What is white crème de menthe
Crème de menthe is a mint liqueur, usually between 20 and 28 percent alcohol and distinctly sweet. The white version is colorless; the green version has the same flavor but is colored. For a Stinger, use white so the drink retains the color of the cognac. Pay attention to quality: cheap bottles taste like chewing gum and candy, while good brands taste like fresh peppermint. Taste it neat before mixing. An opened bottle keeps for a long time because the sugar and alcohol keep it stable. If you still have some left after making a Stinger, use the rest in a Grasshopper.
Stinger: stirred or shaken
The IBA stirs it. That makes sense, because the Stinger consists only of spirits and liqueur, with no juice or cream. Stirring chills and dilutes it without introducing air into the drink, keeping it clear and silky smooth. Stir for thirty seconds with plenty of ice in a mixing glass; see our mixing glasses. Many older recipes call for shaking. This produces a drink that is a few degrees colder and slightly cloudy, with a thin layer of ice crystals. Some people find the mint fresher that way. Try both and choose whichever you like best.
Which cognac for a Stinger
With just two ingredients, you can really taste the cognac, so do not skimp too much here. A VSOP is the best choice: more mature and rounded than a VS, with dried fruit and a touch of oak that pairs well with the mint. A VS works too, but makes the drink sharper. An XO is too expensive to mix with liqueur. Armagnac gives a more powerful, slightly more rustic Stinger, while a good Spanish brandy makes it sweeter and rounder. Whatever you choose, keep the five-to-two ratio so the brandy remains the star.
Stinger alongside Grasshopper and Brandy Alexander
Three digestifs from the same family, each with a different character. The Stinger is the driest and strongest: just cognac and mint, clear and cool. The Grasshopper uses green crème de menthe with crème de cacao and cream and is essentially a liquid dessert. The Brandy Alexander keeps the cognac but replaces the mint with crème de cacao and cream, topped with nutmeg. If you want something after dinner without ending on a heavy note, choose the Stinger. If you are in the mood for something sweet, choose one of the other two.
How much alcohol is in a Stinger
A Stinger is short but potent. The 5 cl of 40 percent cognac provides 2 cl of pure alcohol, and the 2 cl of crème de menthe at around 24 percent adds another half a centiliter. After stirring for thirty seconds, you have about 9 cl in the glass, so the drink comes to roughly 28 percent. That is about two standard drinks. Because the mint feels cool and masks the alcohol, it seems lighter than it is. So drink it slowly, as a digestif is meant to be enjoyed.
Making a Stinger for a group
A Stinger can easily be prepared in advance. For each person, mix 5 cl cognac, 2 cl white crème de menthe, and 1.5 cl water in a bottle; the water replaces the meltwater from stirring. Put the bottle in the refrigerator for four hours and in the freezer for the final hour, so it becomes ice-cold without freezing. When serving, pour directly into chilled martini glasses. This way, after dinner, you can prepare a round for eight people in a few minutes while the coffee keeps brewing.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Stinger?
A Stinger consists of 5 cl cognac and 2 cl white crème de menthe. Stir both with ice in a mixing glass for thirty seconds, then strain the drink into a chilled martini glass. A mint leaf as a garnish is allowed, but the IBA considers it optional.
When do you drink a Stinger?
After dinner, as a digestif. It was served this way in New York as early as the end of the nineteenth century. The mint feels refreshing after a heavy meal, and the cognac rounds off the dinner. It is less suitable as an aperitif because the sweet liqueur is more likely to curb than stimulate the appetite.
Can you use green crème de menthe for a Stinger?
You can, and the taste is virtually the same. Only the color changes: the drink becomes greenish brown instead of amber, which looks less appealing. That is why the IBA uses white crème de menthe. Green crème de menthe is better suited to a Grasshopper, where the color is intentional.
Which glass do you use for a Stinger?
A chilled martini glass of 19 to 21 cl, as prescribed by the IBA. The drink goes into the glass without ice, so the long stem keeps it cool. If you prefer to drink it over crushed ice, use a low tumbler, such as for a Rusty Nail.
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